The New Jersey Devils are facing a lot of major decisions this offseason. After committing to Lindy Ruff as the head coach and letting Andrew Brunette walk to Nashville, the next most important decision is the contract of Timo Meier. The Devils acquired Meier from the San Jose Sharks near the NHL Trade Deadline. He ended up being exactly what they needed; an offensive powerhouse who can impact the game in multiple different ways.
Meier scored zero points for the Devils in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, but can anyone say the Devils win that series without him? His style of play got under the skin of Rangers players, which is why Jacob Trouba tried to take his head off. The Devils ended up securing the team’s first playoff series win in more than a decade, and Meier played a significant role.
Now, the Devils have to figure out what to do next with Meier. His negotiations are much different than Jesper Bratt’s. There is one main reason why. It has to do with a certain eight-figure guarantee that puts the cards in his deck.
Scenario 1: Meier Plays On Qualifying Offer Only
Timo Meier could do zero negotiating, and he’d play this season on a one-year deal worth $10 million. No arbitration necessary. He would march to unrestricted free agency in 2024 with a massive payday in his pocket. At just 26 years old, Meier knows he can choose this option and still secure the bag next offseason. The Devils could force Meier to arbitration, taking his salary down to $8.5 million, but no team wants to go there with a player they want long term.
This is a worst-case scenario for the Devils. They already paid a steep price for Meier’s services in terms of assets sent to the Sharks. Now, they could be looking at a scenario where they spent all that capital, including a possible two first-round picks, and all they received was two years of Meier (although, if it is two first, that means the Devils made it to the Eastern Conference Finals).
Meier has all the motivation in the world to just take this option. It’s easy, the Devils can’t complain, and he could earn himself an Artemi Panarin-like contract in free agency next season. A full year playing next to Jack Hughes or Nico Hischier would easily afford him another 40-goal season. Doing that in back-to-back years would make him worth a $70+ million deal. It’s a scary but very realistic possibility for the Devils.